As a conveyor chain, which loads and conveys articles, there is a conveyor belt in which rotatable balls or rollers are provided on a plurality of belt modules and the articles are processed to be assorted during conveyance so that they are unloaded while being slid at a side of the conveyance line (see Patent Reference 1).
And such a conveyor belt comprises a first member and a second member formed by vertically laminated belt modules on which articles are loaded to be conveyed, and hinge portions respectively formed in the first and second members are connected to each other with hinge pins. And between these first member and second member are rotatably held balls for slide-discharging articles to a side of the conveying line.
Patent Reference 1 is Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2003-182829.